Electrosurgical grounding cable assembly

ABSTRACT

A connector for the grounding cable of an electrosurgical generator (E.G.) has a non-conductive body carrying an electrical contact plate against which a stud of an indifferent electrode in an electrosurgical grounding pad is locked by a non-conductive cam lever pivotally mounted on the body portion. The body has one end of the grounding cable located therein in attachment to the contact plate with the other end of the grounding cable having a terminal plug for insertion in a socket of the electrosurgical generator. As an adjuvant feature, the body has a receptacle engaged with the contact plate and adapted to receive a pin jack on a grounding wire for interconnecting a monitoring patient cable ground circuit of an electrocardiograph machine (E.K.G.) and the electrosurgical patient grounding cable.

United States Patent 1 1 Justus, et al.

[ July 22, 1975 ELECTROSURGICAL GROUNDINC CABLE ASSEMBLY [75] Inventors:George Junior Justus, York Haven.

' Pa.; Lowell C. Miller; Lewisburg Charles T. atrick, Jr., Centervilleboth of ()hio [73] Assignee: NDM Corporation, Dayton, Ohio [22] Filed:June 20, 1973 [21] Appl. No.: 371,773

[52] US. Cl l28/303.13; 128/206 E; 128/404; 128/D.4; 339/65; 339/274[51] Int. Cl A6ln 1/04 [58] Field of Search 128/206 E, 2.1 B, 303.13,128/303.14, 303.17, 303.18, 404, 416, 417,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,556,491 6/1951 Dc Lorenzo339/274 2,590,886 4/1952 Pedcrson 339/274 3,671,924 6/1972 Nagano339/274 3,699,968 10/1972 Bolduc 128/416 Bolduc 128/416 Zenkich 128/206E Primary E.raminerWilliam E. Kamm Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Irons &Sears [57] ABSTRACT A connector for the grounding cable of anelectrosurgical generator (E.G.) has a nonconductive body carrying anelectrical contact plate against which a stud of an indifferentelectrode in an electrosurgical grounding pad is locked by anonconductive cam lever pivotally mounted on the body portion. The bodyhas one end of the grounding cable located therein in attachment to thecontact plate with the other end of the grounding cable having aterminal plug for insertion in a socket of the electrosurgicalgenerator.

As an adjuvant feature, the body has a receptacle engaged with thecontact plate and adapted to receive a pin jack on a grounding wire forinterconnecting a monitoring patient cable ground circuit of anelectrocardiograph machine (E.K.G.) and the electrosurgical patientgrounding cable.

21 Claims, 9 Drawing Figures Pmunzmmzz I975 3.895535 SHEET 1 MONITORINGDEVICE PATENTEDJUL 22 ms SHEET PATENTEDJUL22 m5 3.895535 SHEET 3ELECTROSIURGICAL GROUNDING CABLE ASSEMBLY BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1.Field of the Invention The present invention generally appertains to newand novel improvements in electrical connectors and is particularlydirected to new and novel electrosurgical grounding cable arrangementwhereby an indifferent electrode of an electrosurgical generator isconnected to the ground terminal of such generator.

2. Description of the Prior Art In electrosurgical procedures, anelectrosurgical generator (E.G.) generates high frequency electriccurrent which is fed to an active electrode used to cut tissue andcoagulate blood vessels. An indifferent electrode is disposed in contactwith the patient to provide a return path of the short-wave current tothe E6. which is in turn connected direct to ground or to an isolatedground unit.

The input current is applied to the tissue by means of the activeelectrode which is preferably of rather small cross-section so as toobtain high current densities at the surgical site. These high currentdensities provide the desired heating effect needed for the operatingprocedure. However, it is essential that the indifferent electrode be insuch contact with the surface area of the tissue that the return currenthas a low density, thereby avoiding burning or scarring of the tissue incontact with the indifferent electrode. If the indifferent electrode orits connection to the current source is broken or faulty, the lowcurrent density is not achieved and the tissue at the point where a highcurrent leaves will be burned or scarred.

Various factors can produce a faulty ground circuit. But one of the mostcommon causes of faulty grounding is an improper connection of theground wire.

In some instances, the grounding cable has a male terminal which fitsinto a socket on a sizeable lead plate used as the indifferent electrodeand is fastened thereto by a thumbscrew. The danger in this form ofcontact is that the terminal of the cable may become detached from theterminal of the plate and the male end on the terminal of the cable,should it touch the patients skin, could concentrate the whole of thecurrent. This would produce a thermoelectrical burn.

To avoid this, the lead plate terminal in some installations is a malecontact which fits into an insulated socket on the cable terminal. Ifsuch cable becomes detached from the lead plate, there would be nocurrent flow from the plate to ground. The difficulty with such terminalconnections is obvious. If this faulty situation occurs and theelectrosurgical unit (E.G.) continues to generate current, there is ahigh possibility of patient burns, since current will seek another pathto ground.

In other installations, the ground cable is permanently affixed, as bywelding, to the indifferent electrode plate. In such permanent typeinstallation, wear damage to the cable at its point of attachmentoccurs, and repairing of the cable is very difficult.

In any event, in known installations interrupted ground circuits due todisconnection or improper structural association of the ground cable andthe indifferent electrode can occur. And such can take place at crucialtimes in a given surgical procedure so as to expose the patient totissue damage and pain. And even if the patient experiences no pain ordamage, nonetheless valuable operating time may be lost in effecting arepair of the ground connection. Such lost time may be critical to theelectrosurgery procedure, even to the point of affecting the outcomethereof and placing the life of the patient in jeopardy.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is a primary object of the present inventionto provide an electrosurgical grounding cable arrangement which obviatesthe drawbacks attendant with known manners of attaching ground cables toconventional patient ground plates.

The electrosurgical grounding cable arrangement of the present inventionhas been designed to provide the utmost in patient safety duringelectrosurgical procedures and is utilized with an electrosurgicalgrounding pad of the type and nature disclosed in US. applications Ser.Nos. 223,107, filed Feb. 3, 1972, now abandoned, and 328,120, filed Jan.30. I973, both of said applications being hereby incorporated herein byreference.

The electrosurgical grounding pad, as described in such applications,comprises an electrolyte/electrode assembly wherein the electrode andelectrolyte are at tached by an electrically conductive snap fastener.

The snap fastener has a stud portion that terminates in an enlarged headportion on its projecting distal end at the outer surface of the pad.The terminal head portion provides an annular shoulder on its underside.

The connector of the present invention includes an electricallyconductive contact plate which is mounted on one face of anon-conductive body portion, the latter being preferably transparent soas to allow visual inspection of the contact plate and the contactpoints for the wiring. The body portion and the contact plate areprovided with coinciding elongated trackways which slidably receive theshank of the stud. The contact plate is provided with an integrallyformed tab which is disposed perpendicularly within the confines of thetrackway at the terminal inner end thereof and against which the studabuts in its fully captive position within the trackway. The tab isinherently resilient, since the contact plate is formed from thinmetallic sheet material or similar electrically conductive material.

A locking lever is pivotally carried by the body portion which has adepression or cavity of an outline approximating the geometrical shapeand size of the lever formed in the face opposite to the contact plate.The locking lever is pivoted on a pin arranged transversely of thetrackway at the outer end thereof. The lever carries on its underside acam that engages the stud at a point radially opposed to the tab. In thefully depressed position of the locking lever wherein it is seated inthe depression in the body portion and lockingly positioned therein, thestud is securely locked between the cam and the tab. In this manner, theconnector is positively locked onto the terminal stud of the indifferentelectrode.

The grounding cable is preferably a double lead wire encased within atransparent and flexible sheathing formed from thcrmosetting orthermoplastic polymers and copolymers including nylons, polystyrene,polyvinyl chloride, acrylic resins, polyethylene, polypropylene,polyvinylidenc, chloride, and other like insulating and/or engineeringplastics.

According to one embodiment, the distal end of the grounding cable has asingle pin jack plug provided with two spaced contact points. One of thewires is attached to one of the contact points and the other wire isattached to the other contact point. When the terminal plug is insertedin the proper receptacle of the electrosurgical generator unit ordiathermy machine, one of the contacts will be connected to the groundterminal of the machine while the other contact will be connected to aconventional monitoring system build into the machine. Such monitoringsystem monitors the continuity of the cable and its attachment to theindifferent electrode. In the absence of good and proper contact orcable continuity the monitoring system will activate an alarm meansand/or deactivate the electrosurgical unit.

Of course, the present invention encompasses the use of a single wirecable to ground and no monitoring system. According to a preferredembodiment, the contact plate is longitudinally split or spaced apart atits terminal end forming essentially two plates or longitudinal sectionsonly one of which carries the aforedescribed integrally formed tab.Being spaced apart, the sections are in electrical continuity only whenthe stud portion of the snap fastener is interposed as aforedescribed.In this embodiment, one wire of a double wire cable is attached at itsproximal end to one section and the other wire, also at its proximalend, to the other section. Thus, the fastener stud and head complete thecircuit, one wire leading to ground and the other wire leading to themonitoring system. Again, in the absence of good and proper contactbetween the plate and the fastener, or in the absence of cablecontinuity, the monitoring system will activate an alarm means and/ordeactivate the electrosurgical unit.

Alternatively, the inner end of the contact plate may be closed forminga single essentially U-shaped plate having a tab portion, which platemay be used with one or two wires attached thereto. When, as describedabove, two wires are separately attached to this plate, one to groundand one to the monitoring system, only a faulty cable wire would bemonitored, since the inner end of the plate completes the circuit andseparation of the fastener from the plate would not be monitored.

During electrosurgical procedures, it is common to have the patientmonitored by a conventional electrocardiogram machine which records thenature of the rhythmic change of certain electrical characteristics ofthe body which are synchronous with the heartbeat. In this way,different aspects of the phenomenon of heart action and circulation ofblood in the patient are continually observed.

As an adjuvant feature of the present invention, the connector has itsbody portion formed with a pin jack receptacle which is attached to thecontact plate alongside and along with the ends of the Wires of thegrounding cable. Such contact points are rearwardly of the inner end ofthe trackway. A terminal jack on a grounding wire is adapted to besocketed in the receptacle with the other end of the wire having aterminal jack that is inserted into the ground lead of theelectrocardiogram cable.

In such fashion, the patient is hooked onto two grounds, one being theground terminal of the diathermy machine or electrosurgical unit and theother being the ground circuit of the electrocardiogram machine. In thisway, the safety of the patient is much enhanced during electrosurgicalprocedures. By utilizing the cable connector as a site for connectingthe electrocardiogram ground lead, potential grounding hazards possiblethrough the conventional EKG electrode should failure occur in theground system of the electrosurgical unit are eliminated. Further, theuse of the cable connector ground receptacle, instead of the typical EKGground electrode connector, results in a reduction of monitorinterference when the electrosurgical unit is in a stand-by position.The net result is a better recording of the heartbeat.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. I is a partly pictorial, partlyschematic diagram illustrating the electrosurgical grounding cableassembly of the present invention in operative association with anelectrosurgical grounding pad and depicting the same in use with apatient and in connective association with an electrosurgical unit andan electrocardiograph machine.

FIG. 2 is a perspective showing of the grounding cable assembly and theelectrosurgical grounding pad is an unattached relation.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the grounding cable assembly inattachment to the grounding pad on the skin surface of a patient.

FIG. 4 is a longitudinal vertical sectional view of the connectorattached to the electrode of the grounding pad and showing the lockingmechanism in a full line down or locked position and in a dotted lineopen or unlocked position and is taken substantially on line 4-4 of FIG.3.

FIG. 5 is a longitudinal horizontal sectional view taken substantiallyon line 5-5 of FIG. 4 and showing the connector in bottom plan.

FIG. 5A is a bottom plan view of a modified form of connector whereinthe contact plate is longitudinally split into two separate longitudinalsections.

FIG. 6 is a transverse vertical sectional view, taken substantially online 6-6 of FIG. 4.

FIGS. 7 and 8 are fragmentary sectional views showing the locking leverin its open and closed position with respect to the protruding stud onthe electrosurgical grounding pad.

Referring now more particularly to the accompanying drawings andinitially to FIGS. 2 and 4 for a general understanding of theelectrosurgical grounding pad assembly, which is more fully disclosed inthe aforementioned patent applications, the pad 10 is composed of asubstantially rectangular flexible and resilient sheet 12 carrying asubstantially centrally located nonconductive cup member 14. The cupmember has a flat base 16 superimposed on one side or face of the sheet.And the cup member has a cavity 18 opening to the body surface of thepatient. Within the cavity and resting on the interior surface of thebase 16 is a flexible sheet 20 of conductive metal electrode. Thediameter of the cup member 14 is substantially greater than its height,thus providing a low profile.

The flexible and resilient sheet 12, the cup member 14 and the flexiblesheet 20 of conductive metal are held together by an electricallyconductive stud fastener 22. The fastener includes an inner annularplate 24 from the center of which a hollow shank 26 projects outwardlyand an outer plate 28 having a hollow socket portion 30 receiving theshank 26.

The parts are assembled and held together by centrally locating andaligning the cup member 14 containing the likewise centrally located andaligned flexible sheet of conductive metal and the outer plate 28 withits hollow socket portion 30 on opposite sides of the sheet 12. Theshank 26 is inserted through aligned apertures in the centers of theflexible conductive sheet 20, the base 16 and the resilient sheet 12 andis socketed in the socket 30. By pressing together such portions of thestud. the upper part of the stud 22 is crimped inwardly and its sidewalls collapse outwardly whereupon the parts are tightly wedgedtogether. In so doing, the stud, composed of the sheet portion 30 andthe shank 26, is formed with an outer rounded and enlarged head ordistal end portion 32 that, due to its enlargement in relation to theshank port of the stud, has an annular groove 34 (cf. FIG. 7) formedbelow the distal end and defining an annular locking shoulder 33.

The electrolyte is preassembled with the electrode 10 by soaking adisc-shaped sponge-like cellular matrix 35 of non-conductive, open-cellmaterial with an electrode jelly. The sponge-like matrix 35 preferablyhas a diameter equal to the diameter of the base 16 of the cup member 14and a thickness greater than the depth of the cup member 14, as can beappreciated from a consideration of FIG. 4. It is sufficiently heavilyladen with electrode jelly that, when the electrode 10 is pressed on theskin surface of the patient, the jelly fills the entire volume of thecavity between the skin surface and the conductive metal sheet 20 andplate portion 28 whereupon good electrical contact between the skin andthe conductive metal sheet electrode 20 and the connective stud 22 isassured.

As diagrammatically and pictorially depicted in FIG. 1, theelectrosurgical grounding pad 10 is applied on the arm of the patient Pand, because of the nature of the pad, it is easily contoured to thecurved skin surface. Obviously, the pad can be applied to the patient inany area selected by the surgeon. But it is preferred that the area be acurved skin surface, such as a thigh or arm easily accessible forattachment of the electro surgical grounding cable assembly 36, as shownin FIG. 1. The pad is applied by pulling it taut just as in the mannerof applying a bandage.

The electrosurgical grounding cable assembly 36 is generally composed ofa connector 38 which is lockingly attached to the head portion 32 of thestud 22 by being slidably engaged within the groove 34, as shown in FIG.4. The connector 38 has one end of a cable 40 attached thereto, as willbe described, so as to be in electrically conductive relation with thestud 22 and thereby with the indifferent electrode 20. The groundingcable 40 is composed of two lead wires 42 and 44 that are housed in atransparent insulative sheathing or covering 46. The sheathing orcovering 46 is flexible and preferably transparent so that a quickvisual inspection can be made for any breakage or damage of the leadwires 42 and 44 housed therein. The sheathing is formed fromnon-conductive transparent materials,

such as thermosetting or thermoplastic polymers and 6 polymethacrylate;polymethylmethacrylate and polyacrylonitrile, copolymers thereof andother like acrylic resins; polyethylene; polypropylene; polyvinylidenechloride; polysulfones; polycarbonates; and other like insulating andengineering plastics.

The electrosurgical generator or unit 52 has an active electrode 54which is connected by a lead 56 provided with a switch 58, preferably afoot switch, to the output circuit system of the electrosurgical unit52. Such a unit is conventional and, in general, comprises a highfrequency current generating system including a RF. oscillator whichdrives a gain controlled power amplifier that is coupled via a step-uptransformer and coupling capacitors to the active electrode 54. The unithas a suitable receptacle 60 in which the terminal plug 48 is inserted.

The grounding cable 40 is a twin lead wire cable with the jack plug 48being a common plug for both lead wires. The plug has two spaced apartelectrodes or contact points 62 and 64. Thus, when the plug 48 isinserted in the receptacle 60 in the electrosurgical unit or diathermymachine 52, as shown schematically in FIG. 1, the lead wire 42 of thegrounding cable is carried to the ground terminal 66 while the otherlead wire is carried to a monitoring device 68.

The monitoring device is of conventional construction and functionseither to sound an alarm and/or deactivate the electrosurgical unit.Generally speaking, the monitoring device has a solenoid and the leadwire 44 in the grounding cable 40 establishes a continuous circuit fromthe electrosurgical unit 52 to the indifferent electrode and back againwhich holds open the solenoid. As soon as this circuit is broken, asabove described, e.g., by the connector 38 becoming somehow impaired orloosened from the stud 22 of the indifferent electrode 20, when using asplit contact plate, the circuit is broken, the solenoid closes and themonitoring device 58 initiates its alarm and/or deactivating action.

However, it is obvious, as far as the present invention is concerned,and as previously pointed out, that the cable 36 can be a single wirecable which merely is a grounding wire. The other wire 44 can beeliminated if the machine 56 does not possess the conventionalmonitoring device or system.

As shown in FIG. 1, the patient P is connected via unipolar limb leads70 and 72 to the central terminal 74 of a conventionalelectrocardiograph machine 76. The machine is provided with the usualthree-prong plug, one prong of which constitutes the ground.

As is well known, the conventional electrocardiograph machine, such asthe machine 76 in FIG. 1, is provided with the usual central terminalconnection 74 from which a series of electrical leads extend.Ordinarily, at least four such leads extend from the central terminalconnection 74 to the arms and legs of the patient. There is also asecond terminal, commonly referred to as the exploring terminal, fromwhich an exploratory lead extends, this lead being designed forsuccessive application by the operator of the machine to variousportions of the chest.

However, for purposes of its use in electrosurgical procedures, it iscommon to use three EKG electrodes, one of which is used as a groundconnection to the EKG monitor. In accordance with the present invention,an interconnecting wire 78 is connected between the EKG 76 and theconnector 38 so as to eliminate the need for the conventional EKG groundelectrode. In this respect, as shown in FIG. 2, the end portion 50a ofthe body 50 of the connector 38 is provided with a female socket orreceptacle 80 in which the jack plug 82 of the interconnecting wire 78is socketed. The wire has a similar jack plug 83 provided on itsopposing end and such jack plug fits in the central terminal connection74 (FIG. 1). In this manner. the EKG and the electrosurgical unit aregroundingly interconnected.

By virtue of the interconnecting wire 78, the patient is provided withtwo ground sources, one the EKG 76 and the other the diathermy machineor electrosurgical unit 52. By utilizing the interconnecting commongrounding wire 78, further advantages can be obtained. One advantage isa reduction of monitor interference when the electrical surgical unit isin a stand-by position. Another advantage is the elimination ofpotential grounding hazards possible through the conventional EKG.electrode should failure occur in the electrosurgical ground unit.Another advantage resides in the elimination of the conventional EKGground electrode.

The connector 38, as shown more particularly in FIGS. 3-8, includes thebody portion 50, which is solid and which is molded or otherwise formedfrom the various plastics materials, as aforedelineated. Preferably, thebody portion is formed from clear material as is the terminal plug 48and the casing or sheathing 46 of the grounding cable 36. Suchtransparency is desirable since it permits the operator, prior to use,to visually inspect the entire grounding cable assembly for any obviousbreakage or damage.

The body portion 50 has a rear end portion 50a in which one end of thecable with its enclosed lead wires is inserted. Such end portion 50ahouses the jack receptacle 80 for the interconnecting grounding wire 78.The body has a front end portion 84 and it has a top side or face 86 anda bottom side or face 88.

A contact plate 90, formed of metal or other conductive thin sheetmaterial, is securely superimposed on the bottom face 88 by rivets 92 orsimilar fastening means. The contact plate 90 has a rear lip portion 94which is bent upwardly and fits within a groove 97 formed in theunderside of the rear end portion 50a of the body 50. The lead wires 42and 44 of the cable 40 are attached by solder or the like to the lipportion 94, as shown in FIG. 5. The receptacle or socket 80 for theinterconnecting wire jack 82 is soldered to the'rivet 92a of the contactplate, as shown in FIG. 5. In any event, the receptacle or socket 80 andthe lead wires are in good electrical contact with the contact plate.All of such contact points are visible through the upper face of thebody portion.

The body 50 is formed with an elongate slot 96 that defines a trackwayand that passes through the front end portion 84, as shown in FIGS. 4,and 6. The trackway is rectangular and of a width just slightly greaterthan the diameter of the stud 22 at its grooved portion 34 so that theopposing straight side edges 96a and 96b of the trackway slide in thegroove, without undue lateral play and dispose the body portion beneaththe shoulder 33. As the trackway opens through the forward end, the sideedges diverge outwardly so that the open front end of the trackway isdefined by a divergent throat portion 98 which serves to guide thetrackway onto the stud. In this respect, the opposing side edges 100 and102 of the body portion 50 are formed with recessed finger grippingareas .104 and 106 whereby the body can be manually manipulated.

The contact plate is provided with a tab 108 which extends upwardlytherefrom and which is disposed perpendicularly wthin the trackway atthe inner edge thereof so that it confronts the inner lateral end wallof the trackway. The tab is of a width commensurate with the width ofthe trackway and is positioned at the inner end thereof so that it willbe engaged by the head of the stud 22 in the manner shown in FIG. 4.This will insure good electrical contact between the stud extending fromthe electrode 20 and the ground cable.

FIG. 5A differs from FIG. 5 in that the contact plate 90 is splitlongitudinally at its inner end providing separate longitudinal platesections 91(a) and 91(b) and lip portions 94(0) 94(b) extending fromsaid sections, the split providing opposed, parallel edge extensions oftrackway straight side edges 96(0) and 96(1)). Cable lead wires 44 and42 are attached to lip portions 94(a) and 94(b), respectively.Interposed fastener head portion 32 and shoulder 33 (FIG. 6) provide theelectrical continuity between both sections. Obviously, removal of thefastener would interrupt the continuity.

In order to insure that such electrical contact is maintained and tolock the connector onto the stud, a locking means 110 is providedadjacent the outer or open end of the trackway 96 and at the front endportion 84 of the connector body 50. Such locking means includes apivoted lever 112 formed of non-conductive material and preferablyformed of the same clear material as the body 50 of the connector. Thelever has a flat body portion 114 and the top wall 86 of the connectorbody 50 is formed with a cavity or depression 116 of a size and shapeapproximating the geometrical shape and size of the body of the lever.The lever body is adapted to seat in such depression or cavity, as shownin FIGS. 3 and 4. The lever body has a tail end portion 118 which ismounted on a pivot pin 120 that is fixed transversely between theopposing side walls of the depression at the forward end portion 84 ofthe body. The pivot pin is positioned, as can be seen from FIG. 4, in aplane above the plane of the bottom wall of the depression so that thebody portion 112 of the lever seats on the bottom wall and is disposedbelow the pivot axis so as to be locked in its seated position.

The lever body, as can be seen in FIGS. 2 and 4, has an integral cam bar122 formed on its underside and providing a cam surface 124 which isadapted to engage the head 32 of the stud 22, as shown in FIG. 4 so asto clampingly hold the head tightly against the contact tab 108. Thus,when the lever is in its down or seated position, the cam engages thehead to lock the connector onto the stud. The bar is of a width to fitin the trackway behind the pin 22.

The lever has a free end which is provided with an angular lip 126 whichextends upwardly and forwardly when the lever is in its seated position,as shown in FIG. 4. In such position, the lip projects above the topsurface of the wall of the connector body 50. The lip serves as a fingergripping means so as to move the lever upwardly and downwardly about itspivot axis.

For the purpose of locating the cable 36 and the interconnectinggrounding wire 78 so as to hold them out of any conflicting position,with respect to the patient, surgeon, and other operating roomattendants, a clamping means 128 is provided, as shown in FIG. 2. Theclamping means includes a bar 130, having a guide arrangement 132through which the cable and wire are passed. The bar terminates in analligator clip 134 that can be attached to a patient covering sheet orother holding means readily accessible to the operating table.

In use, the first step that must be taken is to visually inspect theconnector 38 by locking through the transparent body. 50 so as toinspect the contacts for the interconnecting grounding wire 78. Thewires 42 and 44 should be visually inspected as should the contacts inthe terminal plug 48. Since the terminal plug 48 and the body portion 50of the connector are formed from a clear material, such visualinspection can be readily carried out. Also, due to the transparency ofthe sheating 46 for the cable, the continuity of the wires 42 and 44 canbe easily visually determined.

The next step requires the insertion of the plug 48 into the properreceptacle 60 in the electrosurgical generator 52. Prior to this, theelectrosurgical grounding pad has been wrapped around the arm of thepatient P, as shown in FIG. I. The operator then grasps the body of theconnector 38 with the thumb and middle finger of one hand being disposedin the recessed or cutout areas 104 and 106 on the sides of theconnector. The connector is held and slidably placed over the head 32 ofthe stud 22 so that the trackway slides in the groove 34. In thisrespect, it is to be noted from FIGS. 5 and 5A that the contact plate 90has a trackway 900 formed therein complemental to and underlying thetrackway in the body portion. However, the side edges of the trackway90a in contact plate 90 protrude inwardly of the sides of the trackwayin the body 50 of the connector. Thus, the stud will engage the sideedges 96a of the trackway in the contact plate. This is easilydetermined by visual inspection.

The body is slid over the stud until the contact tab 108 abuts the stud22. At this point, the locking lever 112 is pressed downwardly with theforefinger while holding the connector body between the thumb and middlefinger. A positive snapping action takes place and the connector islocked onto the stud.

While the connector 38 is especially designed for use in the disclosedelectrosurgical environment, it can be appreciated that the samepossesses utility for use in other akin or dissimilar environments.

Thus, in this respect and in regard to the other details of theinventive concept, as herein disclosed, it is to be understood that suchspecific disclosure is merely exemplary. And the inventive concept isonly to be interpreted in accordance with the terms and scope of theappended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. For use with electrosurgical equipment including (a) anelectrosurgical generator for generating high frequency electriccurrent, (b) an active electrode electrically connected to saidgenerator and used to cut tissue and coagulate blood, and (c) anindifferent electrode for attaching to a patient an electrical groundmeans, a grounding assembly suitable for said electrosurgical equipmentand comprising, in combination, a connector and a cable, said connector,in turn, comprising a body provided with a slot defining an opentrackway along a face of said body for receiving, on one end of thetrackway, a conductor electrically coupled to said indifferentelectrode, and means at the opposite end of the trackway for terminatingthe trackway while still retaining said conductor on said trackway, anelectrically conductive contact means, carried by said body,

electrically coupled with said conductor on said trackway, while saidconductor is in said trackway, and with one end of the cable, theopposite end of said cable being electrically coupled to ground, andlocking means carried by said connector and positionable in saidtrackway to lock said conductor in electrical contact with said contactmeans.

2. The invention of claim 1, wherein said connector has a non-conductivesolid body.

3. The invention of claim 2, wherein said conductor electrically coupledto said indifferent electrode is a projecting stud over which thetrackway slides and said stud is formed with a groove in which thetrackway moves.

4. The invention of claim 3 wherein said contact means includes aresilient tab of conductive material arranged generally perpendicularlyof the trackway and providing said means at one end of the trackway toterminate travel of the latter along the conductor.

5. The invention of claim 4, wherein said locking means includes a leverformed from non-conductive material, a pivot pin arranged transverselyof the trackway adjacent the open end thereof, said lever having one endmounted on the pivot pin for swinging movement about an axis normal tothe trackway and said lever having an opposing free end portion having acam surface releasably engaging the stud in clamping relation with thetab.

6. The invention of claim 5, wherein said connector body has opposingtop and bottom faces, said opening of said trackway being in said bottomface of said body, said contact means including a plate portion fixed onthe bottom face and from which the tab upstands in the trackway, saidconnector body having opposing ends and the trackway being elongated andpassing through one end of the body and said pivot pin being disposedand passing through one end of the body and said pivot being disposed atsaid end.

7. The invention of claim 6, wherein said plate portion islongitudinally split to effect two plate sections and the resilientcontact tab upstands in the trackway from one of said sections andarrests the inward movement of the stud along the trackway.

8. The invention of claim 7 wherein said top face of the connector bodyhas a depression of a size and shape approximating the size and shape ofthe lever which is seated therein, said depression, in turn, having anopening in the bottom thereof in communication with said trackway havingsaid stud upstanding therein, the opening being of a size and shapeapproximating the size and shape of the cam surface releasably engagingthe stud in clamping relation with said tab, and said pivot pin is in aplane above the plane of the bottom of the depression with said leverbeing disposed below the pivot pin plane when it is seated in thedepression so that it is below its pivot axis and is locked in place inthe depression.

9. The invention of claim 8 wherein said locking lever has an angularlip on its free end, said lip projecting upwardly from the lever in itsseated and locked position and defining a finger piece.

10. The invention of claim 9 wherein said connector body is transparent.

11. The invention of claim 9 wherein said cable whose proximal end isattached to said connector comprises lead wire encased in transparentplastic for visual inspection of the lead wire, and, at the distal endof the cable, a transparent terminal plug for visual inspection of thecontact means by which the distal end of said lead wire is attached.

12. The invention of claim 1 wherein said electrosurgical equipmentincludes an electrocardiograph machine having a monitoring patient cableground circuit and said connector is provided with a receptacle incontact with the contact means, a grounding wire having opposing jackplug ends, one of said jack plug ends being attached to the ground jackof the electrocardiograph machine and the other jack plug end beinginsertable in the receptacle in the connector body.

13. A cable grounding assembly for use with an electrosurgical groundingpad having a patient contacting inner surface and an outer surface fromwhich a stud projects having an annular groove, said assembly comprisinga connector having a solid non-conductive body portion having opposingtop and bottom faces, and formed in the bottom of said faces is aslot-like, elongated trackway which slides over the stud and in thegroove, said trackway having an outer end and an at least partiallyclosed inner end, an electrically conductive contact plate fixed to thebottom face and having an integral inherently resilient tab projectingtherefrom and disposed in the trackway at the inner end thereof andwhich bears against the stud, a locking lever of non-conductive materialpivotally mounted on the connector body adjacent the outer end and meansfor locking the lever in clamping relation with the stud so as to lockthe latter against the contact tab to prevent motions transverse to andparallel to said trackway and a grounding cable extending from theconnector body in contact with the contact plate and having a distal endprovided with a terminal plug adapted to be inserted in anelectrosurgical unit.

14. The invention of claim 13 wherein said locking means includes saidtop face of the connector body being formed with a depression of a sizeand shape to receive the lever and a pivot pin for the lever arranged inthe connector body transversely of the trackway at the open end thereofand disposed in a plane above the bottom of the depression so that themajor part of the lever is below the pivot axis when seated in thedepression.

15. The invention of claim 14, wherein said lever has a free endprovided with an angular lip that upstands therefrom when the lever isseated in the depression and extends above the top face of the connectorbody.

16. The invention of claim 13, wherein said connector body, groundingcable and terminal plug are transparent.

17. The invention of claim 16 wherein the connector body. the cable andthe terminal are formed from transparent polymeric materials.

18. A grounding assembly suitable for use with electrosurgical equipmentand comprising, in combination, a connector and a cable, said connector,in turn, comprising a body provided with a slot defining an opentrackway along a face of said body for receiving on one open end of thetrackway, a conductor and means at the opposite end of the trackway forterminating the trackway while still retaining said conductor on saidtrackway, an electrically conductive contact means, carried by saidbody, electrically coupled with said conductor on said trackway, whilesaid conductor is in said trackway, and with one end of the cable, theopposite end of said cable being electrically coupled to ground, andlocking means carried by said connector and positionable in saidtrackway to lock said conductor in electrical contact with said contactmeans.

19. The invention of claim 18 wherein said conductor is a stud having anannular groove in which the trackway slides.

20. The invention of claim 18 wherein said connector body has a bottomface and a top face and said contact means further includes a thin platefixedly superimposed on the bottom face and having a trackwaycomplementing the body trackway but of slightly less width than the bodytrackway so that the bounding walls of the contact plate trackway engagethe conductor.

21. The invention of claim 18 wherein said connector body has a top faceformed with a surface cavity and said locking means includes a lockinglever, a pivot pin mounted in the connector body adjacent the open endof the trackway and arranged transversely thereof, said lever having oneend pivoted on said pin and having a cam means on its other endreleasably engaging the conductor, with said lever being sealed in thecavity and bearing against the conductor.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION PATENT N0. 3, 895,635

DATED July 22, 1975 INVENTOR(S) :George Junior Justus tal.

It is certified that error appears in the above-identified patent andthat said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

Column 10, line 38, delete "being disposed".

Signed and Scaled this sixteenth D a y Of December 1 9 75 [SEAL] A tiest:

RUTH C MASON C. MARSHALL DANN Arresting Officer Commissioner of Patentsand Trademarks

1. For use with electrosurgical equipment including (a) anelectrosurgical generator for generating high frequency electriccurrent, (b) an active electrode electrically connected to saidgenerator and used to cut tissue and coagulate blood, and (c) anindifferent electrode for attaching to a patient an electrical groundmeans, a grounding assembly suitable for said electrosurgical equipmentand comprising, in combination, a connector and a cable, said connector,in turn, comprising a body provided with a slot defining an opentrackway along a face of said body for receiving, on one end of thetrackway, a conductor electrically coupled to said indifferentelectrode, and means at the opposite end of the trackway for terminatingthe trackway while still retaining said conductor on said trackway, anelectrically conductive contact means, carried by said body,electrically coupled with said conductor on said trackway, while saidconductor is in said trackway, and with one end of the cable, theopposite end of said cable being electrically coupled to ground, andlocking means carried by said connector and positionable in saidtrackway to lock said conductor in electrical contact with said contactmeans.
 2. The invention of claim 1, wherein said connector has anon-conductive solid body.
 3. The invention of claim 2, wherein saidconductor electrically coupled to said indifferent electrode is aprojecting stud over which the trackway slides and said stud is formedwith a groove in which the trackway moves.
 4. The invention of claim 3wherein said contact means includes a resilient tab of conductivematerial arranged generally perpendicularly of the trackway andproviding said means at one end of the trackway to terminate travel ofthe latter along the conductor.
 5. The invention of claim 4, whereinsaid locking means includes a lever formed from non-conductive material,a pivot pin arranged transversely of the trackway adjacent the open endthereof, said lever having one end mounted on the pivot pin for swingingmovement about an axis normal to the trackway and said lever having anopposing free end portion having a cam surface releasably engaging thestud in clamping relation with the tab.
 6. The invention of claim 5,wherein said connector body has opposing top and bottom faces, saidopening of said trackway being in said bottom face of said body, saidcontact means including a plate portion fixed on the bottom face andfrom which the tab upstands in the trackway, said connector body havingopposing ends and the trackway being elongated and passing through oneend of the body and said pivot pin being disposed and passing throughone end of the body and said pivot being disposed at said end.
 7. Theinvention of claim 6, wherein said plate portion is longitudinally splitto effect two plate sections and the resilient contact tab upstands inthe trackway from one of said sections and arrests the inward movementof the stud along the trackway.
 8. The invention of claim 7 wherein saidtop face of the connector body has a depression of a size and shapeapproximating the size and shape of the lever which is seated therein,said depression, in turn, having an opening in the bottom thereof incommunication with said trackway having said stud upstanding therein,the opening being of a size and shape approximating the size and shapeof the cam surface releasably engaging the stud in clamping relationwith said tab, and said pivot pin is in a plane above the plane of thebottom of the depression with said lever being disposed below the pivotpin plane when it is seated in the depression so that it is below itspivot axis and is locked in place in the depression.
 9. The invention ofclaim 8 wherein said locking lever has an angular lip on its free end,said lip projecting upwardly from the lever in its seated and lockedposition and defining a finger pIece.
 10. The invention of claim 9wherein said connector body is transparent.
 11. The invention of claim 9wherein said cable whose proximal end is attached to said connectorcomprises lead wire encased in transparent plastic for visual inspectionof the lead wire, and, at the distal end of the cable, a transparentterminal plug for visual inspection of the contact means by which thedistal end of said lead wire is attached.
 12. The invention of claim 1wherein said electrosurgical equipment includes an electrocardiographmachine having a monitoring patient cable ground circuit and saidconnector is provided with a receptacle in contact with the contactmeans, a grounding wire having opposing jack plug ends, one of said jackplug ends being attached to the ground jack of the electrocardiographmachine and the other jack plug end being insertable in the receptaclein the connector body.
 13. A cable grounding assembly for use with anelectrosurgical grounding pad having a patient contacting inner surfaceand an outer surface from which a stud projects having an annulargroove, said assembly comprising a connector having a solidnon-conductive body portion having opposing top and bottom faces, andformed in the bottom of said faces is a slot-like, elongated trackwaywhich slides over the stud and in the groove, said trackway having anouter end and an at least partially closed inner end, an electricallyconductive contact plate fixed to the bottom face and having an integralinherently resilient tab projecting therefrom and disposed in thetrackway at the inner end thereof and which bears against the stud, alocking lever of non-conductive material pivotally mounted on theconnector body adjacent the outer end and means for locking the lever inclamping relation with the stud so as to lock the latter against thecontact tab to prevent motions transverse to and parallel to saidtrackway and a grounding cable extending from the connector body incontact with the contact plate and having a distal end provided with aterminal plug adapted to be inserted in an electrosurgical unit.
 14. Theinvention of claim 13 wherein said locking means includes said top faceof the connector body being formed with a depression of a size and shapeto receive the lever and a pivot pin for the lever arranged in theconnector body transversely of the trackway at the open end thereof anddisposed in a plane above the bottom of the depression so that the majorpart of the lever is below the pivot axis when seated in the depression.15. The invention of claim 14, wherein said lever has a free endprovided with an angular lip that upstands therefrom when the lever isseated in the depression and extends above the top face of the connectorbody.
 16. The invention of claim 13, wherein said connector body,grounding cable and terminal plug are transparent.
 17. The invention ofclaim 16 wherein the connector body, the cable and the terminal areformed from transparent polymeric materials.
 18. A grounding assemblysuitable for use with electrosurgical equipment and comprising, incombination, a connector and a cable, said connector, in turn,comprising a body provided with a slot defining an open trackway along aface of said body for receiving on one open end of the trackway, aconductor and means at the opposite end of the trackway for terminatingthe trackway while still retaining said conductor on said trackway, anelectrically conductive contact means, carried by said body,electrically coupled with said conductor on said trackway, while saidconductor is in said trackway, and with one end of the cable, theopposite end of said cable being electrically coupled to ground, andlocking means carried by said connector and positionable in saidtrackway to lock said conductor in electrical contact with said contactmeans.
 19. The invention of claim 18 wherein said conductor is a studhaving an annular groove in which the trackway slides.
 20. The inventionof claim 18 wherein said connector body has a bottom face and a top faceand said contact means further includes a thin plate fixedlysuperimposed on the bottom face and having a trackway complementing thebody trackway but of slightly less width than the body trackway so thatthe bounding walls of the contact plate trackway engage the conductor.21. The invention of claim 18 wherein said connector body has a top faceformed with a surface cavity and said locking means includes a lockinglever, a pivot pin mounted in the connector body adjacent the open endof the trackway and arranged transversely thereof, said lever having oneend pivoted on said pin and having a cam means on its other endreleasably engaging the conductor, with said lever being sealed in thecavity and bearing against the conductor.